12 years ago, a deadly trend began on Texas roads

Erin Mulvane, Beaumont Enterprise

By Erin Mulvaney

Updated 11:46 am, Thursday, November 8, 2012

Wreckage from Friday's fatal accident that left one person dead and shutdown Interstate 10 for several hours. The accident occurred as the driver of the pick up entered west bound traffic using the downtown accident around 2 a.m. Photo taken Friday, August 31, 2012 Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise

Photo: Guiseppe Barranco, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Wreckage from Friday's fatal accident that left one person dead and...

A fatal collision on Interstate 10 early Friday stopped traffic east and westbound for several hours. A pickup truck drove the wrong way on a ramp, driving eastbound on the westbound lanes near the Neches River Bridge. The pickup collided with a westbound 18-wheeler. The pickup driver died at the scene.

Photo: Dan Wallach

A fatal collision on Interstate 10 early Friday stopped traffic...

A heavy truck was heavily damaged from an accident on Interstate 10 near Pine Street that shutdown both lanes of traffic. Photo taken Monday, July 30, 2012 Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise

Photo: Guiseppe Barranco, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

A heavy truck was heavily damaged from an accident on Interstate 10...

Emergency officials direct west bound traffic off Interstate 10 using an on ramp near Pine Street. An accident on the highway caused both lanes of traffic to be shutdown. Several pieces of debris can be seen in the background. Photo taken Monday, July 30, 2012 Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise

Photo: Guiseppe Barranco, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Emergency officials direct west bound traffic off Interstate 10...

Emergency officials work the scene of a second fatal accident that killed a Sulfur resident on Interstate 10 in Vidor around 12 p.m. Officials did not comment if a connection was made between the noon accident and the Friday morning accident that took the life of a 22-year-old Vidor man. Photo taken Friday, August 31, 2012 Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise

Photo: Guiseppe Barranco, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Emergency officials work the scene of a second fatal accident that...

Emergency officials work the scene of a second fatal accident that killed a Sulfur resident on Interstate 10 in Vidor around 12 p.m. Officials did not comment if a connection was made between the noon accident and the Friday morning accident that took the life of a 22-year-old Vidor man. Photo taken Friday, August 31, 2012 Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise

Photo: Guiseppe Barranco, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Emergency officials work the scene of a second fatal accident that...

A fatal collision on Interstate 10 early Friday stopped traffic east and westbound for several hours. A pickup truck drove the wrong way on a ramp, driving eastbound on the westbound lanes near the Neches River Bridge. The pickup collided with a westbound 18-wheeler. The pickup driver died at the scene.

Photo: Dan Wallach

A fatal collision on Interstate 10 early Friday stopped traffic...

A fatal collision on Interstate 10 early Friday stopped traffic east and westbound for several hours. A pickup truck drove the wrong way on a ramp, driving eastbound on the westbound lanes near the Neches River Bridge. The pickup collided with a westbound 18-wheeler. The pickup driver died at the scene.

Photo: Dan Wallach

A fatal collision on Interstate 10 early Friday stopped traffic...

Two Hardin County women were critically injured in this two vehicle head-on collision on FM 418 west of Silsbee Tuesday morning. Both drivers, a 91-year-old Silsbee woman and a 24-year-old Saratoga woman, were transported to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont.

Photo: David Lisenby, HCN_accident13112

Two Hardin County women were critically injured in this two vehicle...

Two Hardin County women were critically injured in this two vehicle head-on collision on FM 418 west of Silsbee Tuesday morning. Both drivers, a 91-year-old Silsbee woman and a 24-year-old Saratoga woman, were transported to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont.

Photo: David Lisenby, HCN_accident13112

Two Hardin County women were critically injured in this two vehicle...

Two Hardin County women were critically injured in this two vehicle head-on collision on FM 418 west of Silsbee Tuesday morning. Both drivers, a 91-year-old Silsbee woman and a 24-year-old Saratoga woman, were transported to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont.

Photo: David Lisenby, HCN_accident13112

Two Hardin County women were critically injured in this two vehicle...

Officials say a wreck on Eastex Freeway in Beaumont near Home Depot killed one person Wednesday afternoon. Guiseppe Barranco

Photo: The Enterprise

Officials say a wreck on Eastex Freeway in Beaumont near Home Depot...

Police say the south bound vehicle crossed into north bound traffic on Eastex Freeway in the fatal accident this afternoon. Three cars were involved. Guiseppe Barranco

Photo: The Enterprise

Police say the south bound vehicle crossed into north bound traffic...

A traffic accident claimed the life of a man Wednesday afternoon on Eastex near Lucas Street. Two others were also injured from the wreck. Photo taken Wednesday, December 28, 2011 Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise

Photo: Guiseppe Barranco, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

A traffic accident claimed the life of a man Wednesday afternoon on...

A traffic accident claimed the life of a man Wednesday afternoon on Eastex near Lucas Street. Two others were also injured from the wreck. Photo taken Wednesday, December 28, 2011 Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise

Photo: Guiseppe Barranco, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

A traffic accident claimed the life of a man Wednesday afternoon on...

A traffic accident claimed the life of a man Wednesday afternoon on Eastex near Lucas Street. Two others were also injured from the wreck. Photo taken Wednesday, December 28, 2011 Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise

Photo: Guiseppe Barranco, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

A traffic accident claimed the life of a man Wednesday afternoon on...

AM wreck on Dam-B Bridge

Photo: Jodie Warner

AM wreck on Dam-B Bridge

Dam-B Wreck on September 22

Photo: Jodie Warner

Dam-B Wreck on September 22

The family of a former Gold Club employee Ashley Hollyfield is suing the establishment on behalf of their daughter, who died in a wreck in August driving home from the club. photo provided by 12 News HD

Photo: Provided

The family of a former Gold Club employee Ashley Hollyfield is...

The family of a former Gold Club employee Ashley Hollyfield is suing the establishment on behalf of their daughter, who died in a wreck in August driving home from the club. photo provided by 12 News HD

Twelve years is a long time, especially when you consider this little-known stunning fact: The last day there wasn't a single fatality on Texas roads was 12 years ago Wednesday, on Nov. 7, 2000.

The statistic puts a stark perspective on the 41,252 people who have died in fatal traffic accidents on state roads during that time frame.

Texas Department of Transportation officials on Wednesday said the majority of wrecks on 80,000 miles of state roads were caused by people not wearing seat belts, drinking and driving and distracted driving.

"One fatality on a Texas roadway is one too many, and to see as many as eight or 10 in a single day is unacceptable," said TxDOT executive director Phil Wilson.

The Houston area alone has more than 10,000 miles of state-run roadways. Experts have historically called the area the nation's leader in alcohol-related road fatalities among populous cities, citing its limited public transportation and urban sprawl that causes people to drive many miles.

Road safety advocates point to legislation as a possible solution to decreasing traffic fatalities.

Jonathan Adkins, a spokesman for the National Governor's Safety Administration, said Texas' independent anti-government intrusion culture could be detrimental in preventing traffic deaths. He said 39 states have passed distracted driving bans. In 2011, Gov. Rick Perry vetoed a texting while driving ban.

Adkins also pointed to the dangers of a new toll road near Austin that allows motorists to drive 85 miles per hour.

"We have to create a culture in Texas and across the country where traffic deaths are not acceptable," he said. "Traffic crashes continue to kill people every day, and they are preventable."